![]() Sometimes, the email software used by a sender can include additional information about the message and attached files in the email. The second part of the Message-ID contains information related to FQDN. This information is the data regarding the time when the message was sent. One part is before and another part is after The first part of the message-ID contains information, such as the message’s timestamp. Message IDs are generated by client programs that send emails, such as Mail User Agents (MUA) or Mail Transfer Agents (MTA). It comprises a long string of characters that end with the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). Message-ID is a unique identifier that helps forensic examination of emails across the globe. In addition, the x-originating-IP header can be used to find the original sender, i.e., the IP address of the sender’s computer. These are often added for spam filter information, authentication results, etc., and can be used to identify the software handling the email at the client, such as Outlook or Opera Mail. X-headers are email headers that are added to messages along with standard headers, like Subject and To. ![]() In such an event, investigators can refer to the logs maintained by network devices such as switches, firewalls, and routers to trace the source of an email message. This can happen for many reasons, such as when servers are not configured to maintain logs or when an ISPs refuses to share the log files. In some cases, logs of servers are not available. Therefore, it is best to examine the logs as soon as possible. If a log is archived, tracing relevant emails can take a lot of time and effort, requiring decompressing and extraction techniques. It is worth noting that Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) logs are archived frequently by large Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Servers also maintain logs that can be analyzed to identify the computer’s address from which the email originated. For example, if an email is deleted from a client application, sender’s, or receiver’s, then related ISP or Proxy servers are scanned as they usually save copies of emails after delivery. Email Server InvestigationĮmail servers are investigated to locate the source of an email. Again, such information can be instrumental in identifying the culprit and collecting evidence. Similarly, the Received: from field provides necessary details like the sender’s IP address and hostname. The date and time at which the email is received.The last visited SMTP server’s IP address.For instance, the Delivered-To field contains the recipient’s email address, and the Received-By field contains: The vital details in email headers help investigators and forensics experts in the email investigation. Some of the critical email header fields are highlighted in Figure 1. Email Header AnalysisĮmail headers contain essential information, including the name of the sender and receiver, the path (servers and other devices) through which the message has traversed, etc. It comprises an in-depth forensic investigation of various email aspects such as Message-IDs, transmission routes, attached files and documents, IP addresses of servers and computers, etc.Įmail forensic professionals use the following techniques to examine emails and analyze the digital evidence: 1. TRY 60 DAYS FREE What is Email Forensics?Įmail forensics is a branch of digital forensics that focuses on the forensic analysis of email to collect digital evidence for cybersecurity attacks and cyber incidents. ![]() We have also provided a powerful email forensic tool that you can download and use for free for up to 60 days. Summary: In this post, we have discussed email investigation techniques- email header analysis, email server investigation, investigation of network devices, sender mailer fingerprints, software embedded identifiers, and bait tactics.
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